


The Fucked-Up Fuck-Up That Got Caleb Fucked

by casstayinmyass



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Worst Meeting Ever, Based on a Tumblr Post, Benedict Arnold Is A Dick, Bisexual Ben, F/M, Gay Caleb, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Oops, Restaurants, Server Caleb, Surprise Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 01:29:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8081392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casstayinmyass/pseuds/casstayinmyass
Summary: Caleb, an inexperienced waiter, sees a very attractive man, who is, unfortunately, on a date with a very attractive woman. He totally doesn't have a chance... until he fucks up royally, and suddenly does.





	

**Author's Note:**

> In this modern au, Caleb and Ben weren't childhood friends, they had never met before.

"Not a half bad idea."

Caleb had said, when his uncle suggested he get a job at a restaurant. Of course, it was a terrible idea- he had no experience working in the service industry, he had no experience working with food, and he generally hated people. Yeah... super idea there. But Caleb needed some more money than the sailing lessons he was teaching was providing for him, so serving it was.

He had applied to numerous classy seafood places, since he figured he would earn more from the more expensive ones, and had (eventually) been hired by the prestigious Boathouse, a formal restaurant that overlooked the bay.

"Why would a fancy place like this hire me?" Caleb asked, reading the congratulatory email from them.

"I've learned not to question it," Lucas Brewster patted him on the back, and Caleb shrugged.

That Friday, he spent a few hours shadowing a server named Abigail (and made a mental note to hook her up with Anna- the two would hit it off wonderfully). Once evening came around, he was already working the floor with five of his seven tables reserved... Caleb was, incidentally, a fast learner.

"Holy shite," he murmured to a coworker, "Nobody told me the place was this bloody popular!"

"Wait 'til you see tomorrow night," the guy laughed back, and flipped two martini glasses over onto his tray.

Caleb swallowed, looking out into the sea of faces. Maybe he should have applied to the Crab Shack or something... he was in way over his head here. But, money was money, and if he was going to earn any, he had better get to taking these people's orders. Walking out, he suddenly felt a firm grip on his shoulder. Turning, he found his boss.

"Caleb- you're looking very... dapper, in the uniform," Benedict muttered, sizing him up.

"Thank you, sir," Caleb smiled, overlooking the fact that Benedict had called it a _uniform_. He watched as Arnold eyed his beard warily, just waiting for him to say something, but his boss just grumbled slightly.

"Take good care of table nineteen, hm? Miss Shippen- soon to be Miss _Andre_ ," he murmured, somewhat bitterly, "Only deserves the best."

"Of course, sir."

"One more thing- good god, man, fix your bloody apron."

Caleb looked down, sorted the crooked garment out, and hurried off before Arnold could scrutinize him any further.

"Evening, folks," he grinned to his first table, which was a party of seven rowdy-looking older men. "Can I start you off with something?"

At the next table, he found Peggy and her dashing fiancé, then the one after that was a table for two, a pretty blonde lady and a shockingly handsome blonde guy. He looked about Caleb's age... classic, old movie star good looks with a black, bespoke suit- he had a straight back, looked almost military. Caleb tore his eyes off the man to step over the fork someone had dropped on the floor. A romantic candle was burning between them, so it was safe for Caleb to assume this was a date...

Damn. The hot ones are always taken.

"Hey guys! Can I interest you in a booze menu? Uh, I-I mean, uh... shit, what was that called?"

"A wine list?" the man asked.

"Yeah, wine list." Caleb cringed inwardly, his hopes of impressing Ken-Doll seemingly crushed, but the guy grinned a little, in good nature.

"That would be great, thanks." Caleb exhaled, and only just then thought to acknowledge the woman as well. She had one eyebrow raised in an expectant manner, and looked rather irritated. Caleb immediately felt bad again.

"Eh, I'll go get that." As he was turning away, he could hear the two talking.

_"Sarah, it's probably his first night."_

_"Whatever, Ben. Of course we get an idiot for a server."_

_"Come on, Sarah, don't..."_

Caleb walker quicker, going to fill his order. He knew what a wine list was, obviously, and he knew much more about wine than your average Joe, as his grandmother owned a vineyard. But he had been rendered virtually clueless by that guy- _Ben's_ \- gaze alone. Of course, his gaze shouldn't matter... Sarah was the one who got to enjoy it, not him.

After he put his orders in for the other two tables that had arrived, he grabbed a wine list, and handed it to Ben.

"Here y'are, all the good ones," he beamed.

"Thanks," Ben smiled back, locking eyes with Caleb for a few seconds. Sarah cleared her throat. 

"What do you recommend?" Sarah asked, a hint of malice in her tone. She was going off of the fact that Caleb apparently didn't know anything about fine wine- fortunately, she was mistaken.

"With tonight's specials? I'd go with a smooth white, if you're heading for the seabass in the butter sauce- a light Chardonnay should be a perfect mate." Sarah, caught off guard, simply nodded, and Ben was grinning now.

"That sounds wonderful. We'll have a bottle of that, then."

"Great," Caleb smiled back, "Any idea what you'd like for dins, then?" _Ah, to hell with speaking properly._

As Caleb put their order in, he thought of the way Ben's blue eyes reflected the tabletop candlelight, the way his lips parted and glistened when he spoke...

"Hey- Brewster," Abigail nudged him out of his trance, "You need me to run anything for you? You look a little out of it- first night can be hard, I know it."

"I'm good," he replied, "Seriously, thanks." Abigail smiled.

"You seen table twelve? That is one hot piece of ass."

"You can have her- tall boy's mine."

"You can have _him_ ," Abigail snorted, "Anybody who mixes a man bun and a tux is a no-deal in my book."

"Hey- he's rocking the shit out of that man bun," Caleb defended, "And the nice blue tie makes up for it- it brings out his eyes." Abigail quirked an eyebrow.

"Tell that to his girl- she doesn't look too impressed with him at the moment." As Caleb walked back over with their wine glasses, he overheard what they had previously been talking about. Ben's tone was almost pleading.

"I just wanted tonight to be special for us, Sarah- you have no idea how excited I've been for this evening, it's very important to me!"

"Great way of showing it, Benjamin. You could have shaved, at least." Ben felt his face self consciously.

"Well... I've been thinking about a beard!" 

"Do it, it's life changing," Caleb interjected, grinning over, and Ben's worry lines smoothed out into a smile, laugh lines crinkling. Sarah just huffed as Ben's fingers brushed against Caleb's while accepting the glasses.

Caleb got through the next hour or so alright- he brought Ben and Sarah their food, and indulged in elderly Mr. Shippen's endless stories as he refilled their glasses at the next table. He should have been incredibly tired by the time it hit ten o clock, but he was still driven by Ben at table twelve. Every time he went over, Ben seemed to smile a little wider, and the blonde's eyes lingered a little longer than expected over Caleb's lips each instance. _Must be imagining it_ , he thought. 

Fortunately, he would get to see him one last time before they left- they had ordered custard pie, which was served on a bed of ice cream and chocolate drizzle. Caleb walked over, eager to present it to them... and as if it happened in slo-mo, Caleb tripped over the fork, that nobody had had the initiative to pick up.

"Aw, shite!!" he vaguely remembered spewing, as the plates flew from his hands and- all over the two of them. Heads turned, Caleb's cheeks burned, and he looked down just in time to see Ben's hand around a little velvet box.

 _Oh, jesus fuck... he was about to pop the question,_ Caleb thought, eyes closing; as usual, worst timing ever.

"BREWSTER!" he faintly heard Benedict shouting, and he winced, bracing himself for Arnold's rain of fury. Sarah got up, throwing her napkin down.

"Come on, Ben- we're leaving. This whole night has been a complete and utter mess, thanks to this asshole, and I want to go home." Ben blinked, looking down at the dessert all over himself and the small box he had been holding. Caleb spoke up. 

"I am so sorry, sir, I tripped- I know that doesn't make up for what happened, I completely ruined your evening, I'm a titface and I'll pay for any damages-"

"Mmm," Ben murmured, dragging a finger through the chocolate sauce on his shirt and lifting it to his mouth, "This is delicious."

"Ben!" Sarah gasped incredulously, and Ben turned... before turning back to Caleb. He stood up.

"Again, I'm really fucking sorry-" Suddenly, Caleb was cut off by the feel of soft lips on his, the sweetness of chocolate sauce, and a hand at the back of his head drawing him in closer. Caleb could hear a murmur through the crowd, and Sarah's anguished cry behind Ben. Wait... was he being kissed??? 

"Would you like to get out of here?" Ben asked him shyly upon pulling away, and Caleb tried to catch his breath, glancing around at all the attention the scene was getting. He turned his attention back to the scene of his massive fuck-up, then to the gorgeous blonde, who was licking his lips.

"Now there's a good idea," he whispered, and the two made a run for the exit.


End file.
